The Greater Virunga Landscape (GVL) comprises a total of 8 protected areas including 7 national parks and 1 wildlife reserve, namely: Volcanoes NP in Rwanda; Virunga NP & Sarambwe Wildlife Reserve in DRC and Mgahinga Gorilla NP, Queen Elizabeth NP, Bwindi NP, Rwenzori Mountain NP, and Semliki NP in Uganda.

The stakeholders gathered in Rubavu for the GVTC are from various backgrounds, including Representatives of the Embassies of Uganda and DRC in Rwanda, International organisations like the International Union for Conservation of Nature, local Governments, customs, migration, Conservation NGOs, Tour operators, Researchers, Journalists, Civil society organizations

For this GVTC Regional Transboundary Forum, GVTC Executive Secretary Dr. Andrew Ggunga Seguya, Mr. Telesphore Ngoga, Conservation Analyst at Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and Mr. Ildephonse Kambogo who opened officially the Forum emphasized its importance as it is the only wide framework for exchange and discussions between the stakeholders involved in the wildlife conservation and Tourism Development in the GVL.

It is important to point out that Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration (GVTC) is a collaborative framework of programs, plans and activities to conserve a network of Protected Areas disseminated along the shared borders of Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Uganda, and together forming a unique ecological unit known as the Greater Virunga Landscape.

The Greater Virunga Landscape’s importance for biodiversity conservation is globally recognized, as it includes habitats for rare and endangered wildlife species, such as mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, African Elephants, Lions, hippopotamus etc. Also, some of the Protected areas in the GVL are globally recognized through special conservation status like World Heritage Sites (the Virunga NP, Rwenzori Mountains, and Bwindi NP), Man & Biosphere Reserves (MAB, namely the Queen Elizabeth NP and Volcanoes NP), as well as RAMSAR sites (Lakes Georges and Edouard).

It is against this background that this Reginal Transboundary forum which is enshrined in the GVTC Treaty can take place.

Various achievements were registered at the government level, regional, site and at the community level. Various interventions were implemented including implementation of livelihood projects for the benefit of the communities around the protected areas, several studies were conducted for ease of informed decision-making, transboundary collaboration strengthened through collaborative planning and dialogue meetings in which various issues have found solutions…,

GVTC Executive Secretariat has been running since 2008 thanks to the funds from the Government of the Netherlands, The Governments of Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Rwanda, and the Republic of Uganda are contributing to the running cost of GVTC paying annually their annual financial contribution, while the Government of the Netherlands is phasing out to stay supporting the programs only.

This consultative forum is not only a statutory organ but also a framework through which various Stakeholders meet and discuss issues affecting wildlife conservation and Tourism development. The recommendations from this Forum are taken to the Regional Technical Committees which at their turn report to the GVTC Board and the Board to the Council of Ministers for decision.

It was highlighted by participants that this region, Climate change is real and is at our doors, it is not an individual or national issue, rather, it is a global issue. Fast-growing invasive species were registered in the GVL Protected areas. This has a negative impact on the food of animals and consequently, habitats are endangered. Tangible actions are required to mitigate the impact of climate change. “No one is safe until everyone is safe”, it was noted.

Deforestation and other illicit activities are still registered in the Protected areas. Trafficking of wildlife resources is still there. They have called upon the collaboration of everyone, to tackle this evil to avoid dramatic socio-economic consequences.

It was noted that community livelihood is seriously affected by the COVID19 pandemic which implies the needs eradicate the dependence of communities on natural resources in the protected areas.

Tourism development which is at crossroads, need to be taken into consideration.

Human-wildlife conflicts remain one of the issues which need everlasting solutions. There is a need of sharing experiences and draw lessons for sustainable conservation and ownership.

Benefit sharing is one of the components which need to be well analysed.

Leave no one behind, should be the motto on this battle of conserving wildlife in the Greater Virunga Landscape, participants concluded.

No single organization can afford to deal with all the challenges ahead and for that, the collaboration remains paramount.

GVTC Executive Secretariat.

The post Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration Regional Transboundary Forum appeared first on Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration.

The signing of this MoU was  witnessed by Greater Virunga Transboundary Executive Secretary, Dr. Andrew Ggunga Seguya.

As a background, The Government of Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) signed a treaty on the 30^th October 2015 for the establishment of a transboundary framework of programmes and activities of wildlife conservation and tourism development in the Greater Virunga Landscape (GVL). The Geographical scope of the treaty, as defined in article 4 (a) of that Treaty, covers 8 Protected Areas (7 National Parks and 1 Wildlife reserve).

The post The MOU for the interagency collaboration in the conservation and management of the Greater Virunga Landscape (GVL)signed in Kampala appeared first on Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration.

These Permanent Members from various backgrounds including Ministries in charge of Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration (GVTC) Treaty implementation, Protected areas authorities, Universities and research institutions, Community based organisations,   were appointed by their respective Partner States: Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Rwanda and the Republic of Uganda.

During their two days meeting, they will go through the recommendations from the recent concluded GVTC Regional Transboundary Forum,  fine-tune those recommendations, to make them ready to be presented to the GVTC Board scheduled to take place in November 2022.

The matter related to the communication and information sharing between the stakeholders across the Greater Virunga Landscape is on the agenda of this meeting. It is imperious to mention that a GVTC secured platform for communication and information sharing known as GeoNode was developed and is ready to be used.

In general, these fora are appreciated by the participants as they bring together the stakeholders from DRC, Rwanda and Uganda around wildlife conservation and Tourism Development matters in the Greater Virunga Landscape.

GVTC Secretariat MJ

The post Landscape Management and Law Enforcement Regional Technical Committees Members are in two days meeting appeared first on Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration.

The Regional Technical Committees constitute an important GVTC governance organ whose purpose is to play a consultative role and provide technical advice to the GVTC Board for decision-making through the Executive Secretariat. They also play a backstopping role to the GVTC Executive Secretary, given the wide scope of technical and coordination issues that this Secretariat is mandated to implement in the areas of:

• Landscape Management
• Tourism Development
• Community Conservation
• Law Enforcement

From the 25^th through the 26^th of October 2022, The Members of these Regional Technical Committees have the task of going through the recommendations related to Tourism Development and Community Conservation formulated by the GVTC Regional Transboundary Forum, concluded on 21^st October 2022, to fine-tune them and come up with a final product to be presented to the GVTC Board for informed decision making.

GVTC Secretariat MJ

The post Tourism Development and Community Conservation Regional Technical Committees meeting appeared first on Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration.

On this 22^nd August 2022, Hon. Minister of Trade and Industry of the Republic of Rwanda, Dr. Jean Chrysostome Ngabitsinze, currently Chairperson of Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration Partner States’ Council of Ministers has received officials of GVTC: Mr. Eugene Mutangana, Member of GVTC Board, Dr. Andrew Ggunga Seguya, GVTC Executive Secretary, Mr. Fidele Ruzigandekwe, GVTC Deputy Executive Secretary for Programs and Mrs. Kabeya Fatuma Marie Rose, GVTC Deputy Executive Secretary for Finance and Administration.

Exchanges focused on Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration current situation and its future prospects for sustainable conservation of wildlife and tourism development within the Greater Virunga Landscape shared between the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Rwanda and the Republic of Uganda according to the Treaty signed between those countries on 30th October 2015.

The post Hon. Minister of Trade and Industry of the Republic of Rwanda receives officials of GVTC appeared first on Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration.

This Greater Virunga Landscape is globally recognized as a biodiversity hotspot and habitat for rare and endangered wildlife species, such as mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, African Elephants, Lions, hippopotamus, etc. with three World Heritage Sites (the Virunga NP, Rwenzori Mountains, and Bwindi NP), two Man & Biosphere Reserves (MAB, namely the Queen Elizabeth NP and Volcanoes NP), as well as RAMSAR sites (Lakes Georges and Edward).

Given the importance of this region and the mandate of GVTC, Dr. Andrew G. Seguya Executive Secretary for Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration has committed to boost tourism in this region.

It is in this respect that he has initiated meetings with tourism actors in order to discuss about actions to be undertaken to achieve that objective of boosting tourism in the Greater Virunga Landscape.

On March 18, 2022, Dr. Andrew G. Seguya, accompanied by Mr. Albert Kasozi, Chief Executive Officer of Association of Uganda Tour Operators who is in Rwanda since March 16, 2022, have meet officials of Rwanda Tourism Chamber. The purpose of the meeting was to explore areas of collaboration and partnership aiming at taking tourism at the next level together.

The post Boosting tourism industry in the Greater Virunga Landscape appeared first on Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration.